-- MSU's inside muscle a concern. Payne (240 pounds) and Nix (270) will be tough to move in the low post. Olander and Daniels, UConn's two starting frontcourt players, check in at 225 and 195 pounds, respectively.

-- The Spartans ranked in top 10 nationally in rebounding margin in eight of the previous 13 seasons They were second in the nation in field goal percentage defense at 37.9 percent.

-- UConn went 22-4 in season openers under Calhoun. Michigan State has won 33 of its last 35 openers.

-- Both teams will wear camouflaged uniforms.

-- Best advice: Watch the ESPN broadcast and listen to WTIC. Joe D. will have Jim Calhoun as his guest analyst. It is must listen radio.

Michigan State Tom Izzo talked about the Huskies during a press conference prior to leaving for Germany.

-- "I got a chance to meet him this summer with Jim Calhoun on a couple of different trips," Izzo said of Ollie. He's a great guy. I kind of can relate to what he's going through to a certain extend taking over for a guy who's been there for a long time.

-- "They've got a couple of very, very good players," Izzo said. "Their two guards are not good but great. Napier who we played against before in Maui and then you have Boatright who's a guy who was a big time recruit and started a lot as a freshman.

"… Everybody talks about what they lost. And they did lose one of their big guys who transferred. But this is still a very good team coming back. … So we're going to have our work cut out for us, no question about it."

-- Ollie on the season opener:

"I'm excited. I'm excited for this team. … I'm excited to play for our great university. Hopefully we can go out and execute the things we've been trying to do in practice offensively and defensively."